Some days I walk out of a photo shoot and know that the world just became a better place. Not better because of something I’ve done, but better because my own little world has been touched by something positive and truly beautiful.
I was on assignment to shoot an editorial for The Salvation Army Creative Magazine. As soon as I stepped into the Luv2Danz dance studio in Port Macquarie, I knew I was entering a special space and time.
Sue Crombie greeted me with a sparkle of enthusiasm in her eye. As her students entered the brightly coloured studio, Sue greeted each girl and her carer, with pure admiration and sincerity. Most of students in that day’s class have Down Syndrome, some have Cerebral Palsy.
The music began and the room was filled with smiles and movement. I was setting up my studio lights and was interrupted by Alyce. She wanted to dance with me and there was no way I could refuse. We swayed and laughed and my heart melted.
I spent the next hour watching and capturing images as Sue and her assistant teacher Abby showed me what life is all about. They volunteer their time to bring happiness to these girls lives, and in return they receive, what they tell me, is more joy than they could have ever expected.
To me, experiencing moments like these is what being a photographer for charities and NGOs (Non Government Organisations) is all about.
I have worked with charities and NGOs quite extensively overseas, but upon returning to Australia and living in Sydney, found it difficult to find work as an NGO Photographer. I fell back into fashion photography, which is a tonne of fun, but I was always left felling like I wanted to spend more time and energy shooting for not for profit organisations.
Then I moved to “rural Australia” and wandered what the future had in stall for me. Something which fascinates me is that once I put aside my fears that moving to a small town would make it difficult to find work as a freelance photographer, once I followed my bliss and made that jump into the unknown, everything started to really fall into place. Of course it has the taken commitment and dedication that every entrepreneur knows about, but when I hung up my hat as Sydney Photographer and put on new hat of Mid North Coast Photographer, things really started to go the way I’d always hoped, and I have since been contacted for more NGO shoots than ever before.
Now let me just say here that I love shooting every style of photography that I have in my website folios (which is why I have decided to keep each one on my website): Fashion Photography, Portrait Photography, Documentary Photography, Lifestyle and Travel Photography. Each of these genres excites and fulfils me in its own way. But, at least at this stage in my life and career, my true drive and passion lies in NGO Photography. It was after this Salvos Photo Shoot with Sue and her dancers that I realised why…
We become the average of the people we surround ourselves with. I have witnessed this universal law within myself and others. We take on the traits of the people we spend time with. The people I meet on NGO Photography jobs are the people in the world who most inspire me. Through their selfless acts, they show me that this world is a wonderful place. They are expressions of love and hope. They are positive, driven and fulfilled. Those are the kind of people I want to be around. I hope that through my work I can promote these wonderful people and their causes as effectively as they deserve, and maybe along the way inspire a few people too.
**Disclaimer. I just need to put it out there, how I feel about the lighting in this shot. It makes me cringe every time I see the shadows on Sue’s smiling face. The photo editor and I were torn over whether to use this image. It was one of the only shots I supplied to Creative Magazine in which studio lighting wasn’t used. I shot it in between lighting setups because the connection between Sue and Alyce was so beautiful that I couldn’t let the moment pass uncaptured. I have learnt my lesson and commit to being more prepared with my lighting from here on in, with a lighting assistant on set for future shoots to ensure that we don’t miss a (well lit) moment!
If you would like to read the full article, Dancing For Joy, CLICK HERE
To see more of my NGO Photography, visit my NGO Folio HERE
